Decision comes just a day after 50 sadhus meet to seek Act’s repeal.
Under pressure from religious bodies over certain provisions in The Gujarat Public Trust Act, 2011, the state government has decided to repeal the same. A decision in this regard was taken during the state cabinet meeting on Wednesday, informed sources said.
The Gujarat Public Trust Bill was passed by the state assembly in March 2011, replacing The Bombay Public Trust Bill, 1950. The Bill, aimed at removing provisions for sale of trusts, appointment and functioning of trustees, inheritance of trusteeship by family members, among others, received assent from the governor in June.
However, religious leaders and trusts had opposed certain provisions in the Act, particularly the ones relating to registering of criminal offence and imprisonment for administrative lapses. They had demanded more than a dozen amendments in the Act.
The state government had put on hold the Act's implementation in view of opposition from the religious trusts. A committee, headed by finance minister Vaju Vala, was also formed in December to hold talks with religious leaders and sort out the contentious issues.
The committee submitted its report before the cabinet on Wednesday, which approved repealing of the Act. The cabinet also decided that a resolution would be tabled in the upcoming budget session of the assembly in this regard.
Interestingly, the decision comes just a day after a meeting of more than 50 sants seeking the Act's repeal. The sants had threatened that they would hold sit-in protests in Gandhinagar on March 1 if their demands were not met.
"With the repeal of the new Act, the public trusts, including religious trusts, will be governed as per the old legislation, until a new legislation is brought," said a government official.
The official also said that the state government would hold talks with religious leaders for bringing a fresh legislation for governing them.
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